Joseph S. Bickel was born on October 16, 1921 to Mabel Stanley and Francis Bickle who lived in Coatesville, Pennsylvania..  Joseph was one of two children, including his sister Ruth. His father, a veteran, was severely wounded in World War I and spent over 20 years as a patient at the Coatesville Veteran’s Hospital.  The family latter moved to Landisville, just west of Lancaster.  Joseph became a member of the Church of God in Landisville.

Joseph attended the East Hempfield High School, Landisville, Lancaster County, graduating with the Class of 1939.  The school was opened in 1937, 200 Church Street,, and is today used as the districts administration building. During his years at Hempfield High, Joseph was known for his academic prowess and writing abilities.  He was not only on the staff of the school newspaper , “The Flash”, but he also contributed two interesting fictional stories : “My Last Trip” and “Hurricane Hurrah”.  Joseph also starred in the school's play, "The Mummy and the Mumps”, a three act farce written by in 1927 by Larry Johnson.

 

 

The yearbook writes of Joseph:

“Joe”, the leading character in the Senior Play, could rightfully be called the walking dictionary of the class.  “Joe” is the fourth honor student of his class.  His hobby is collecting pictures of trains, but at the same time is interested in electrical engineering and will probably further his education along that same line.

Joseph (front row, left) and his fellow newspaper staff members

 

Joseph received training at the Bliss Electrical School in Washington D.C. and was later employed by Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company in Pittsburg.

Joseph entered service in the Army Air Forces in October 1943.  After basic training he received advanced training at Miami, Florida, Amarillo, Texas, and Lincoln, Nebraska as an aerial gunner on a B-29 Superfortress. The B-29 was the heaviest bomber used in World War II, operational later in the war, it was used to fly the extremely long distances (ranging up to 4,000 miles) to bomb the Japanese homeland targets.

Joseph was assigned to serve with the 875^th Bomber Squadron, 498^th Bomber Group, Very Heavy (20^th Air force, 73^rd Wing).  His group moved to Saipan for strikes against Japan.

On his 6^th mission on May 5, 1945, targeting the Naval Aircraft Works at Kure, Honshu, they encountered very heavy anti aircraft fire, mostly from naval ships in the harbor. Joseph’s aircraft, piloted by 1^st Lt. Stephen E. Davis, was hit.  Of the eleven crewman only 4 survived.

Sergeant Joseph S. Bickel was Killed in Action on May 5, 1945

Joseph is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing in Action or Buried at Sea at the Honolulu National Memorial in Hawaii.

 

 

A memorial service was held for Joseph on Sunday June 9 at the Landisville Church of God, conducted by the Reverend Raymond Daihl.